The role of the ERK1/2 signalling pathway in the pathogenesis of female stress urinary incontinence

• Published in: Journal of international medical research Vol. 41; no. 4; pp. 1242 - 1251
• Main Authors: Huang, Qiong, Jin, Hangmei, Xie, Zhenwei, Wang, Min, Chen, Jian, Zhou, Yong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01.08.2013; Sage Publications
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Case-Control Studies; Collagen Type I - antagonists & inhibitors; Collagen Type I - biosynthesis; Collagen Type I - genetics; Collagen Type III - antagonists & inhibitors; Collagen Type III - biosynthesis; Collagen Type III - genetics; Extracellular Matrix - drug effects; Extracellular Matrix - metabolism; Extracellular Matrix - pathology; Female; Fibroblasts - drug effects; Fibroblasts - metabolism; Fibroblasts - pathology; Flavonoids - pharmacology; Gene Expression Regulation; Humans; MAP Kinase Signaling System; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 - antagonists & inhibitors; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 - genetics; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 1 - metabolism; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 - antagonists & inhibitors; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 - genetics; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 3 - metabolism; Nephrology. Urinary tract diseases; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Phosphorylation; Primary Cell Culture; Protein Kinase Inhibitors; RNA, Messenger - antagonists & inhibitors; RNA, Messenger - genetics; RNA, Messenger - metabolism; Urinary Incontinence, Stress - genetics; Urinary Incontinence, Stress - metabolism; Urinary Incontinence, Stress - pathology; Urinary system involvement in other diseases. Miscellaneous; Urinary tract. Prostate gland; Vagina - drug effects; Vagina - metabolism; Vagina - pathology; collagen; ERK1/2; fibroblasts; Stress urinary incontinence; anterior vaginal wall; extracellular-regulated protein kinase 1/2; Human; Urinary system disease; Intravaginal administration; Enzyme; Pathogenesis; Transferases; Non-specific serine/threonine protein kinase; Mitogen-activated protein kinase; Urinary tract disease; Voiding dysfunction; Signal transduction; Collagen; Animal protein; Female; Bladder disease; Fibroblast; Urinary stress incontinence
• ISSN: 0300-0605; 1473-2300; 1473-2300
• DOI: 10.1177/0300060513493995

Objective: To investigate the role of extracellular-regulated protein kinase (ERK)1/2 and phosphorylated (p)-ERK1/2 in the pathogenesis of female stress urinary incontinence (SUI). Methods: Anterior vaginal wall tissue was collected from women with SUI and control subjects. Immunohistochemistry and Western blotting were performed for p-ERK1/2. Primary vaginal fibroblast cultures were incubated in the presence or absence of PD98059 (an inhibitor of ERK kinase) and levels of collagen I and III mRNA and protein were examined by quantitative reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction and Western blot, respectively. Results: Levels of p-ERK1/2 were significantly lower in vaginal wall tissue from patients with SUI (n = 10) compared with controls (n = 10). PD98059 treatment significantly reduced levels of collagen I and III mRNA and protein. Conclusions: Female SUI is associated with reduced levels of p-ERK1/2 compared with controls, and inhibition of the ERK1/2 signalling pathway inhibits collagen type I and III synthesis in vaginal wall fibroblasts.